It goes without saying that many people find the idea of getting older to be a somewhat frightening proposition. At least part of this fear understandably comes from the reality that with older age comes greater chances of developing some sort of life altering — or even life-threatening — medical condition.
It’s important for people approaching older age to understand, however, that in the event they do develop some sort of incapacitating medical condition that they do have options for making ends meet.
For example, both older and young Americans alike have the option of trying to secure Social Security disability benefits if they develop a truly debilitating condition like cancer, fibromyalgia, diabetes, depression or multiple sclerosis, to name only a few.
In general, anyone 18 and older seeking to secure disability benefits must prove to the Social Security Administration that their mental or physical disability:
- Has left them unable to perform substantial gainful activity and is expected to be fatal, or
- Has left them unable to perform substantial gainful activity, and has lasted or is expected to last continuously for no less than 12 months
While these may seem like fairly simple and straightforward requirements, they can sometimes be rather difficult to satisfy.
Older adults must keep in mind, however, that the SSA has structured things in such a way that eligibility for disability benefits actually becomes easier once applicants reach the age of 50 and every five years thereafter.
That’s largely because the agency will then start to take vocational issues — meaning the difficulty faced in transitioning to entirely new employment — into account when examining applications.
At the Houston-based offices of David Dopkin, Attorney at Law, we understand how frightening it can be to develop a medical condition that keeps you out of work, and how this fear is compounded when you are older and seemingly left with fewer options.
That’s precisely why we are dedicated to providing skilled legal representation to older people looking to secure disability benefits or appeal a denial of disability benefits. Together, we can examine everything from your condition and claim to your job skills and ability to pursue an alternate profession. If necessary, we will provide strong advocacy at every stage of the appeals process.
To learn more about how we can help with over 50 disability claims, please visit our website.